Visiting Wales - Invasives

One reason I went to Wales was that the climate is so similar to our Oregon one. I was surprised at how similar the weed palette is, as well.

As the train slid along from London to Cardiff, I instantly recognized the late summer purple of the butterfly bush – everywhere! I saw them pushing up from cracks in the sidewalks at stations, sprouting from ancient stone walls, nodding over canal banks, and encroaching on any space left untended.

Even as they invaded most wild landscapes, I saw that they are just as beloved by home gardeners in Wales as they are here. Several yards held large specimens as garden centerpieces.

Another quickly recognized invader was the Himalayan blackberry or bramble. Herb Robert (stinky Bob), dandelions, bindweed, and, of course, English ivy – all found in- and out-side of gardens. Wales and the UK are just as eager as we are to try to control these invaders. There, as here, they push out more desirable or just most other plants. Just as here, they cost the public time and money to keep them under control and prevent their advance.

In Oregon you can get information on identifying and controlling invasive plants at the Oregon Invasive Species Council or the Oregon Department of Agriculture.

Also watch the Oregon Public Broadcasting program The Silent Invasion to see the damage these invasives can do in our own backyard.

Summer Harvesting

When it was still raining in June, I despaired of having any harvest at all, but now many crops are doing quite well.

The tomatoes are ripening slowly but surely. As always my Sweet Olive variety is the favorite. The patty pan squash was left on the vine too long as I was away on vacation and had to be peeled to be edible.

But the eggplant is wonderful! They are ripening nicely and many more to come on the plant. Rosemarie Nichols-McGee of Nichols Garden Nursery advised me to plant them in a container for best ripening – and she was right!

The beans are coming on, along with the grapes. The dozen onions I put in as an afterthought may produce something yet. I’m hopeful for a warm September to keep everything going.

With many crops it’s easy to tell when to pick, but others can be tricky – beans get stringy and squash gets seedy, for example. For some general guidelines on harvesting all kinds of garden vegetables, check out these publications from Minnesota and Michigan.

And the Flowers. . .

Vegetable continue to grow with eggplants coming on and carrots getting bigger and sweeter. But, the flowers often steal the show and look great mixed in with the veggie garden.

This year the birds planted a dozen or so sunflowers and I didn't have the heart to pull them up as winter rains kept on and on. They were so cheerful and determined. So here they are towering over the banana plants which usually decorate the parking strip.

The unusual Leycesteria or Himalayan Honeysuckle is a favorite. The flowers are loved by the hummingbirds and the bees are buzzing about all the time. The arching branches are graceful and the leaves have a bit of a red tint, at the edges, matching the flowers, nicely. But, alas, I've planted it too close to the house. One of these days it will have to be moved farther to the front of the bed or find a new home.

The unusally colored Rosa glauca is the same - too big for my little city garden. But, until it gets its full size going, I'm enjoying it. The hips are spectacular against the blue-ish leaves. Shall I make rose hip jelly or rose hip tea?

I was a bit suspicious of the blanket flower (gaillardia), at first. I'm not one for many oranges in the palette (I generally go for the pinks and purples). But, the flowers are so bright and have such an interesting look, that it won me over. This one is called 'Frenzy'. And it blooms and blooms. I've cut the old flowers off again and again - more keep coming.

Veggies Growing Great

When the weather warms up, you just can't stop things in the garden. Yep, there's damage left over from the oddly wet and long spring (peonies with disease spots, a pineapple lily dead in a too soggy spot, tomatoes still green, etc.), but lots of other things look good!

I had a spiral tomato support that didn't work for me a few years back. After our visit from the Clackamas Tomato Master and her advice to get those tomatoes off the ground, I got it out again. This time I was more diligent in pruning off the suckers - and it looks great!!

Tying the cucumber up the bamboo trellis saves space, and gets the cukes out of the dirt. The beans are on their way up another bamboo trellis.

The Bright Lights Swiss Chard makes a colorful border, but the leaf miners have found it. The easy answer is to protect it with the floating row cover. It sure would spoil the decorative effect, though.

I started some of the alpine strawberries from seed and put them in place of the regular everbearing variety in the rock garden. They are tiny berries - about the size of the tip of your index finger - but with a really creamy taste. That is - if I get them before the slugs!!

Hot Times for Gardens

Our high temperatures can be hard on the plants in your garden. My winter honeysuckle did get some burned leaves, but most are just fine.

What you might see

Browning of leaves in centers or on edges - sunburn. Looks bad but won't kill the plant.

Tomato or squash flowers dropping off - they just can't take the heat. There will be more flowers when temperatures fall.

Wilting - many plants wilt to get leaves out of the hot sun. As temperatures drop in the evening, leaves pop up again.

Grass burns around edge of lawn - concrete reflects the heat onto the grass. To maintain a green lawn water once a week - 1" of water. A few mowings will remove damaged grass.

What you can do now

-- Water in the morning to get plants hydrated for the day.

-- Spray leaves in the afternoon to cool them off.

-- Shade newly planted shrubs and flowers with a box or fabric in the hottest part of the day, but don't over water - they have a small root systems.

-- Mulch around trees and shrubs to reduce evaporation and cool soil.

Maybe it's not just the weather!

I planted basil seed early this spring, but in a pot, and in my greenhouse. After much time, a few came up, got to about a half-inch tall, and that was it. More than a month later they all got thrown out - still about a half-inch tall.

Many folks were saying the same thing - my basil just died or my basil did nothing. And considering the unusual spring weather (rain, rain, and more rain), it didn't seem all that odd - basil loves hot, dry weather.

I still think that the wet spring is the answer, but this Washington Post article made me think. What if it's not just the weather?

How many times do we miss a correct diagnosis because - Oh, I know what that is!

This PNW wet spring is certainly responsible for many garden problems this season (herds of slugs, slow-growing tomatoes, rotting seeds, etc.) But, in between the showers, let's pay attention to the details and make sure we know what's really going on.

Endless Rain!!

It’s one of those years, isn’t it? Still raining in June.

The tomato spots are soggy, so the plants stay in their pots. Soil too cool and wet to have much hope for cucumbers and beans. Digging a hole for the fig just seems like a way to compact the soil. No amount of compost will improve the drainage after days of rain.

Well, containers it is! At least I can control the water for those plants.

One of the tomatoes can go into a converted cat litter bucket. The decorative pots can get planted. Maybe start more lettuce in pots – in case we never do get sun. And move them to shadier spots – if we do get sun.

Containers have such potential for the balcony, the deck, or the front steps – even as decorative items in the yard. Use them for long-lived shrubs and trees or for edibles. Use them for colorful annuals or as a small herb garden.

Get intrigued by containers, while we wait out the rain.